Legal Studies

This course is an advanced introduction to international criminal law as a discipline that lies at the intersection of public international law, criminal law, and human rights. It presents a broad-based critical perspective on international criminal justice, its deliverables and achievements, and its paradoxes and debates. It covers major topics such as the history and sources of international criminal law; the core crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression); individual criminal responsibility; jurisdiction and immunities; the nature and structure of international criminal proceedings; and the roles played by various actors, especially the victims of international crimes. The course focuses on the law and practice of modern international criminal tribunals such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the International Criminal Court. Apart from an in-depth study of the main concepts, the course provides an opportunity to critically read and analyze recent cases, participate in structured viewings of documentaries and court proceedings, and navigate the online databases of modern international criminal tribunals. Through this course, students are trained to orient themselves in the contemporary landscape of international criminal law and to analyze current developments in the field from a critical legal perspective.

The course is designed to equip students with experience, knowledge, and skills for succeeding in globally interdependent and culturally diverse workplaces. During the course, students are challenged to question, reflect upon, and respond thoughtfully to the issues they observe and encounter in the internship setting and local host environment. Professional and personal development skills as defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), such as critical thinking, teamwork, and diversity are cultivated. Assignments focus on building a portfolio that highlights those competencies and their application to workplace skills. The hybrid nature of the course allows students to develop their skills in a self-paced environment with face-to-face meetings and check-ins to frame their intercultural internship experience. Students complete 45 hours of in-person and asynchronous online learning activities and 225-300 hours at the internship placement.

This course introduces how to design research projects on a question having to do with law and/or justice. Students begin by exploring how gaps in the existing knowledge about a topic can be identified and how a research question can be formulated to fill such a gap. Students explore various types of questions as well as the kinds of data, sources, and research methods that develop arguments in response. Students further examine ways in which data can be collected as well as how sources can be usefully drawn upon. Students are expected to participate by raising questions and sharing ideas during class meetings and on a discussion forum, and by writing reflections on designing a research project.

International environmental law (IEL) is an innovative, dynamic, and rapidly developing field that seeks to address global environmental issues such as the impacts of, amongst others, climate change and illegal trade in endangered species. As the causes, effects, and potential solutions of such global phenomena transcend national boundaries, international cooperation is increasingly important as reflected in a growing number of international environmental agreements. This course offers an overview of the evolution of IEL, as well as an introduction to the major concepts, cases, and principles that shape effective global environmental governance. Throughout the course, attention is focused on international responses to environmental issues with a transboundary or global scope. Following the introductory lectures, which set the scene by introducing the rules and principles of IEL, students have an opportunity to explore the role of international law in regulating environmental problems such as, inter alia, climate change, biodiversity loss, wildlife trading, and marine pollution. Students also consider the role of IEL in strengthening the rights of nature movement, as well as the governance of the oceans, the Arctic, and Antarctica.